CT,
Would you recommend clusters for an older lifter (48) trying to increase strength?
Any modifications?
Would I get results hitting each lift once per week in a PPL format or are clusters better with more frequency? (I’ve found I recover best with training 3 days per week)
Thanks for your time, love your articles!
It’s more a matter of training experience than age.
Cluster require a decent amount of experience with a heavy barbell. If you haven’t trained with 90-95% weight before, and if your technique breaks down when you lift those kind of weights, stay away from clusters.
Essentially, since you will be doing a decent amount of work with 90% or more, if your technique isn’t solid with those weights you will do more harm than good.
But if your technique is stable with 90%+ weights, that provided that you don’t have injuries, you can use clusters.
I personally used each lift once a week in my most recent clusters phase. Because of my current life stress, I can’t train as much as I used to. And I did increase my incline bench press by 30lbs and my safety bar squat by 40lbs in 4 week hitting each lift only once a week.